I know, I know. I'm more than a little late. But I honestly wasn't going to continue writing this story at all. After I posted the first chapter my life got difficult but things are better now.
As for this story my friend, being nosy, found this second chapter and demanded that I post it (Ah, the power of friendship and violent means of persuasion…). It's kinda phunnie…I remember exactly how I wanted the story to continue, despite years of ignoring it. I could never really forget about it either. So I've re-read it, edited and added to this second chapter and I'm more than a bit proud of myself. I don't know if I'll continue, but I will finish at least one day ((I PROMISE DANIELITAR89!))
There are also a billion inconsistencies with…just about everything here. It's meant to be AU but I will acknowledge that I've pretty much ignored/made up Japanese culture. My sincerest apologies to those who find it annoying.
Anywho, I really am ashamed at the length of the first chapter. I really loved reading long stories, and I'm sure most of you do too. But don't worry! I expect for this chapter to be especially long because this is where a lot of important developments of the story takes place. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: If I honestly owned Rurouni Kenshin, do you think I would be writing this story instead of making new episodes?
Chapter Two: The Letter
Kaoru stepped out of the bathhouse feeling refreshed and beyond content. Her anger towards her two beloved knuckleheads evaporated once she sank her limbs into the heated water.
While sitting in the furo, Kaoru spent the first ten minutes trying to calm down her heartbeat so she could think straight. The next twenty minutes were spent cleaning off her body and coaxing herself into believing everything that just happened was real. Little red marks dotted her arms since she decided pinching herself was the best way to tell if she was actually awake. She allowed her head to submerge under the warm water, forgetting to wrap her hair in a towel before jumping in. 'Kenshin kissed me!' Her heart fluttered again. 'Oh my gosh! *giggles* this is so unbelievable! I knew today would be great!' Kaoru surfaced from the water with a start, the need for air bringing her up. Her wet bangs were matted on her face and over her eyes and she messily moved them to the side. Wringing out the rest of her long hair, she stood up to dry off completely. As she was drying off her hair, she planned out everything she wanted to do with her Kenshin for the day. '…and then we can go by the river and have a small picnic if he wants. Maybe he'll kiss me again…Oh my gosh, it was so amazing the first time and since Sano interrupted us, I think it would be fair for us to finish where we left off…' Kaoru blushed and laughed to herself at her own thoughts. 'I'm even worse than Megumi-san now!'
Now she stood on the steps of the bathhouse, wavy wet hair wrapping around her in an intricate dance with the wind as its music. The warm breeze touched her face and she couldn't help but close her eyes and inhale nature's sweet scents. When her eyes opened, she caught sight of a handsome redhead, putting clothes on the line to dry, and from the looks of it, he was almost done.
Kenshin sighed in relief as he placed the very last item of clothing out to dry. He felt eyes on him and turned towards the bathhouse. Kaoru looked like a goddess, with her unusually fair skin set into complete contrast to her long, ebony hair. Her beautiful deep blue eyes framed by long thick lashes stared boldly into his. The conflicting emotions that swelled inside of him at that very moment were intense. He didn't know whether or not he was happy or uneasy to see Kaoru right now.
After Kaoru had entered the bathhouse and Sano went into the kitchen for some breakfast, Kenshin thoughts had run a million mile a minute. Most of his thoughts were negative. His mind was trying to convince his body that what he just did with Kaoru was wrong. He tried to convince himself that he was too stained with blood to ever touch an innocent, delicate flower such as her. But Kenshin had used up all of those excuses so many times before and they weren't having the same affect on him as they used to. Any time his thoughts turned negative again, he found his hand lifting slowly to his face to ghost across his lips. And just like that, all fear had evaporated into the air like morning mist.
His next set of thoughts was much more complicated and couldn't be solved with a simple touch. Now Kenshin wondered what to do next. He had planned to take Kaoru out to just show her that he still cared. But now…"Things are never easy are they? I'll talk to her about what she wants to do next, now that this door is open. Maybe we could discuss it at lunch or after dinner..."
All of Kenshin's plans vanished when he saw her standing outside the bathhouse. She looked so peaceful and happy, that he felt himself become calmer. "We'll find a way Kaoru. Now that I've let myself taste heaven, I'm not sure I could ever let go…." Kaoru began walking over to Kenshin slowly when Sano yelled out again.
"Hey Kenshin, thanks for breakfast. I'll see ya latter."
"Hey busu, I'm leaving for the Akabeko. See ya after dinner."
Yahiko ran past Sanosuke to beat him to the gate. The two started arguing about something unimportant. Yahiko opened the front gates and was met by a thin man was in front of them, holding something in his hand. The man was slightly startled to see the gate open so quickly since he was just about to knock, but he quickly recovered and place a smile on his face. Yahiko and Sano stared blankly, and Kenshin made his way over to Sano's shoulder with Kaoru lagging behind.
"Good Morning minna-san. Is this by chance the Kamiya residence? I was told I could find a Kaoru-san here." The young man asked respectively with a polite smile plastered on his face.
"Of course it is. Why else do you think there would be the fucking sign out front?"
Sano pointed lazily at the sign next to the door with a bored look on his face. The man's face fell slightly at his brusque attitude. He looked down at the little boy whose face seemed to say the same thing as the foul-mouthed man. His face faltered again.
"This unworthy one apologizes on behalf of my friends and their rude behavior kind sir. What can I do to assist you here?
Kenshin squeezed his way past Sano and Yahiko and gave the stranger a warm smile to accompany his genuine apology. Sanosuke and Yahiko grudgingly moved out of Kenshin's way, but gave the scrawny man, who appeared to be in uniform, wary glares. With all the trouble the new family had been through, everyone was a little cautious of strangers coming to their home.
The young man's face picked up immediately at the friendlier response and he answered as if nothing happened. "Indeed you can sir. I have a letter for a Kaoru-san. My most humble apologizes, as you see the mail was held back for a few days because of the bad weather recently. I hope that it has not inconvenienced you in any way."
The man kindly handed Kenshin the letter. Sano and Yahiko had calmed their suspicions hearing that it was only a courier, but their interests sparked again once they heard the letter was for Kaoru. With a well-practiced smile and bow, the young man was on his way down the road. 'Probably to deliver more mail, or something along those lines.' Kenshin thought absent-mindedly. With the letter in hand, he walked into the dojo grounds and closed the gate. Yahiko and Sano gazed over his shoulder and Kenshin began to analyze the handwriting.
"This script is nobody's I know of, that it isn't. How about you Sano? Do you recognize it?" Kenshin looked up expectantly at his closest friend.
"Naww man, I've never seen handwriting like that. But maybe if we open the letter we'll recognize it. I mean, the front only has her name and the dojo on it." Sanosuke spoke the truth, as the letter only had 'Kaoru' along with the dojo's name written on the front. Kaoru and whoever wrote the letter must have been pretty close since there was no honorific attached to her name, and the writer used her given name too.
"Come to think of it guys, I don't think I've ever seen ugly get any mail before." Yahiko stated. In fact, the only people they knew Kaoru was close to before Kenshin's arrival were Doctor Genzai and Ayame and Suzume. They all stared intensely at the letter. Sure, letters have been sent to the dojo before, but it was usually addressed to everyone or to Kenshin.
"Well, open it." Sano stated rather impatiently.
Kenshin flipped the letter and looked at the red wax sealing it. Slowly, he began to pull off the wax when, "HIYA!" rang through the dojo grounds. Kaoru held a broken shinai in her hands while Kenshin, Sano, and Yahiko lay on the ground swirly-eyed, the large bumps barely concealed by the messy hair covering the tops of their heads. The letter fluttered towards the ground after slipping out of Kenshin's hands. An angry Kaoru grabbed it before it touched the dirt.
"I can't believe you three! I've been practically standing here the whole time! And you," Kaoru pointed angrily at Kenshin, "You didn't even think of giving me MY MAIL! Instead you listened to that rooster-head!"
"Hey!" Sano snapped out of his daze in time to hear the insult. "We were just looking out for you Jou-chan. That's all."
"Yeah, we were just making sure it was safe. And you can't blame us too 'cause we know the kind of trouble you attract. Don't want you to get kidnapped AGAIN or something." Yahiko stated indignantly. He may act mean towards his sensei, but he really did care.
"Oh yeah right, you just wanted to read my letter, nosey." 'He just always has to bring up those kidnapping incidents. It's not like it's my fault anyway. Mou.' Kaoru threw a broken part of the shinai at her bad-mannered pupil.
"We are very sorry for our snooping Kaoru-dono, that we are." Kenshin stood up from the ground and dusted off his hamaka, then bowed respectfully. 'Oh, Kenshin can always turn me to jelly when he talks like that.' Kaoru thought. The memory of their kiss fluttered back into her mind and she blushed bashfully.
"Well, I mean that's okay Kenshin. I know you were just being careful. Besides," She broke eye contact briefly and looked back shyly at the man she loved so dearly. "I would have let you read it if you all just asked, Mou." And just like that, the Assistant Master's temper dissipated. It's funny how someone's mood changes when love is involved. Kenshin gave his best rurouni smile to date, but Sano noticed something different about it. It didn't seem nearly as fake or forced as usual. 'Well that's strange. Since when does Kenshin show how he feels? Something happened between those two earlier for him to show that much.' Sano looked at them both suspiciously, but said nothing.
Flipping the letter over, Kaoru looked for a sign as to who could have sent her the letter. Her breath caught and she gasped loudly. 'Could it be?' A hand went to her heart when she realized who must have sent her this letter. Her eyes filled with tears, but she didn't shed a single one. Her fingers traced the Kanji delicately, as if it were the most precious thing in the world. 'How long has it been? Kami-sama, I can't believe this. He's alive.' The onslaught of conflicting emotions was enough to kill her right on the spot. Somehow she was able to remain standing, but seemed to have forgotten how to breathe properly.
Kenshin watched rather helplessly as his Kaoru suffered a state of internal turmoil. How could this paper affect her so badly? 'Gods, she hadn't even opened it yet! Is it really the best decision for her to read it right now?' He was about to help Kaoru sit down and calm her nerves when Yahiko decided to take a much more…tactless approach.
"Just open the damn thing already busu! There's no point in crying over it before you read the fuckin' thing! Jeeze, women are so emotional, it's sickening." Yahiko's rant was enough to make even Kenshin's blood boil, but Kaoru didn't even flinch at his foul-mouthed response.
Snapping out of her reverie, she ran her hand across her name one more time before turning it over and opening the letter. The next few moments were rather awkward and confusing for Kenshin, Sanosuke, and Yahiko. When reading the letter, Kaoru's hand flew to her mouth as if in realization and her long forgotten tears streamed down her face in an emotional downpour. Seconds later there was a smile, then a gasp from her shaky lips. More reading caused her breathing to become harsh and her eyes to practically fall out of her skull. She must have read something shocking because she seemed to read the same thing over and over again as if trying to convince herself. An instant later she was running towards her room, the letter falling to the ground. At first, the three men didn't know what to do. How do you handle a situation you know nothing about? Sano walked casually to the forgotten paper and picked it up. Yahiko ran next to him and Kenshin followed.
"Here Kenshin. You read it. Something tells me you can handle this better than any of us can. Whatever Jou-chan is worked up over, must be personal." Sano stopped to look his good friend straight in the eye. With that, Sano handed the letter over and placed his hands back in his pocket. It was clear that Sano was being vague because of Yahiko's presence. His observational skills weren't bad so he must have noticed a change between Kenshin and Kaoru. 'I'll have to talk to him later so he doesn't get the wrong idea about us.' Kenshin thought. With a smile he replied, "Thanks Sano" unfolded the sheet of paper and read aloud.
"Dear Kao-baby" Kenshin stopped there and frowned. The familiarity that this person had with Kaoru was a little annoying. Still frowning, he continued anyway.
"Dear Kao-baby,
Surprise! I'm sure you didn't expect to hear from me. It's been a while, ne? Can't write for long, gotta catch a cargo boat before it leaves. I will be arriving in Japan soon. Surprised you again, didn't I? I wish I could see your face as you're reading this. I'm sure it's hilarious. I'm coming back September 3rd. I should be there early morning, so make sure you have a hearty breakfast made for me when I get home. We have so much to catch up on Kao-chan. Got to go now, see you soon.
Love, Kyosuke.
P.S. When you come to get me from the docks, wear one of your mother's kimonos."
The three stood there in a thoughtful silence. Who is this 'Kyosuke'? How does he know Kaoru and how close were they? Yahiko was the first to speak.
"Hey guys…. isn't today..?"
His question was never completed because a high-pitched scream resonated throughout the dojo and was probably audible to most of Tokyo. Kenshin was the first to take off in a sprint followed by Sano and Yahiko towards Kaoru's room. Reaching the shoji, they looked inside Kaoru's room to find it completely trashed. Kaoru sat on her futon holding a calendar that had September 3rd on the first page. Before Kenshin could ask if she was okay, Kaoru ran past the three of them to the storage. Kaoru ran inside the storage room where a series of loud crashes, thuds, bangs, and yelling could be heard.
"Do you think she's lost it?" Yahiko asked, genuinely concerned.
"I dunno, but this Kyosuke guy must be a big deal for her to freak out like this." Sano looked at the letter. 'Who is this guy?'
"Well, whoever he is, he's back in Japan and he's coming here. I will be going with Kaoru to get him from the ship. If what he said in the letter is correct, he should already be here that he should." Kenshin looked at his shadow. It was already late morning. Suddenly, Kaoru came out, pulling a pretty big wooden box. From the looks of it, it was real difficult for her to move. Kenshin and Sano quickly rushed over to help their friend carry the box. Each one took a handle and looked curiously at Kaoru then back at the box.
"Put it in my room." was all that she replied as she rushed back into the storage. Sano and Kenshin traded looks, but did as they were told. Kaoru came back out with a smaller box and handed it to Yahiko.
"Damn Kaoru, what's in this thing? It's heavy." Yahiko almost dropped the container, surprised by how heavy it actually was.
"Just put it in my room. And quit cursing boy, it's unsuitable for someone your age. You hang out around Sanosuke too much." Again, Kaoru turned back into the storage. Grumbling about crazy little girls and how he was a man, Yahiko walked to her room too. Kaoru later walked out of her storage for the last time.
When she first read the letter, her heart stopped. At first she just thought it was God's cruel way of making a joke. Kyosuke? Back in Japan? 'Just the idea of it seemed impossible after so long.' She thought. But his words were so sincere, and it sounded just like him. When she realized what the date of his arrival was, she ran as fast as she could to her room. 'Not today, please not today.' Kaoru thought. She ripped apart her room to find the calendar she kept in there. 'It's today. Oh my gosh, Kyosuke's coming home today.' Looking down at the pad of paper in her hands, she would have jumped for joy but remembered how late it was. The boat had probably already arrived. Kaoru felt herself scream in horror. 'I'M LATE! HE'S HERE! TODAY! AND I'M LATE!' Of all the days to sleep in, it had to be today. "I should have strangled that mail carrier. It's not his fault, but still." Kaoru ran to the storage to get the kimono Kyosuke asked for. She was dimly aware of Kenshin and the others standing at her door. All she was focused on was getting to that wooden box. It took a while to find her mother's kimonos. There was so much stuff packed in there. 'I'll have to clean this place out one of these days.' She mumbled to herself.
Now here she was. Standing at the entrance to the storage shed, Kaoru gave herself a moment of solitude. In her hand was a small, thin rectangular wooden box. She used one hand to trace over the intricate designs carved into it. She hadn't seen them since her mother's death when her dad decided it was best to pack all of her belongings away. A cool wind passed and Kaoru smiled. 'Kyosuke's coming home. Home. To me. I've missed him so much.' Kaoru sobbed silently for a few minutes. Collecting herself and remembering how late it was, she walked back to her room to change.
The confused and worried trio waited patiently for Kaoru to come back and explain everything. Sano sat chewing a fishbone with a serious face. Yahiko was looking at the wooden boxes they just brought in and Kenshin was sitting against the wall thinking intensely. When they had first entered the room, Kenshin decided to clean up the mess Kaoru had made before. It was a good distraction for a little while, but once he sat down, his thoughts went crazy. His face showed how troubled he was over the whole ordeal. Kenshin's lips pursed and his eyes thin slits. Something didn't feel right about this situation. The fact that he didn't know exactly what was wrong about it, only made him worry even more.
"Hey Kenshin," Sano interrupted his thoughts. "What're you thinkin' 'bout?" Sano had hardly ever seen his friend so disturbed. It made him uneasy just watching Kenshin.
"I'm not sure what to make of all of this Sano. I'm just not sure." There was a lot of emotion in his voice. Sano was about to comfort his friend, when Yahiko spoke first.
"Hey guys, come look at these boxes." Yahiko waved them over. "I was looking at all of these designs when I found this." He pointed to a beautifully written name. "Maori Kamiya." Yahiko said. They were all silent again. This information was completely new to them. Sure they all knew that Kaoru had family, but never really thought about them. "Who do you think it is?" Yahiko asked, his voice just above a whisper. Sano and Kenshin had been so quiet before, he didn't want to be rude and break the silence.
"It's her mom, duh. Don't you remember the letter?" Sano looked at the boxes a little longer before sitting down again. Yahiko made a sound of realization then became quiet again. Kenshin had never moved from his spot on the wall. Kaoru opened up the shoji and stared at the faces of her closest friends. After a moments hesitation she sat back down and went to open the biggest box.
"So are you gunna tell us what the hell is going on here Jou-chan or do you prefer to keep us in the dark?" Sano's rhetorical question hung in the air for a while. Breathing in deeply, Kaoru replied without taking her eyes off the box in front of her. "He made them for her. My dad. They used to tell me all the time about how it was when mom and dad first got married. He said he wanted to buy every one of the most beautiful kimonos in all of Japan, just so he could show off he new wife." Kaoru laughed without humor, the sorrow in her voice was unmistakable. Kenshin and Sano looked at Kaoru with pity and Yahiko looked at the box, lost in his own memories of his mother.
"After a while, my mom complained about not having enough space for all of her clothes. Daddy carved out each box, just for her and her kimonos. Even the tiniest details on here." Kaoru took her hand and traced the elaborate designs on the box. "Mom loved it. She just loved sakura trees, or anything in nature. Dad found a way to fit it all on these boxes. 'Her own little piece of the world', dad always called them. She used it until the day of her death. And every time she'd look at them she'd smile the warmest and most loving smile I have ever seen. Sometimes she'd say, 'One day Kao-chan, you'll have someone that makes you so happy with his simplest gestures.'" Kaoru laughed again, but her voice sounded more distant than before. "I never really understood what she meant though. Oh what am I doing? I'm wasting time." With that, she took the latches to he box and opened.
There were many kimonos in there. All looked as if they were made from the finest silks and woven by expert hands. Searching through the stack a little, Kaoru pulled out one and set it aside. Kenshin, Yahiko and Sano all took a silent interest in the clothes. Kaoru closed the bigger box and stood up with the kimono she chose. She held the shoulders with her hands and let gravity unfold it. The kimono was a very rich and dark purple. It had a black tree on it that had bare branches extending all over it. Little white petals outlined in gold were placed here and there on the kimono so it looked like they were falling from the tree.
"Beautiful." Everyone looked at Yahiko, slightly surprised by his complement. Kaoru smiled at him and said, "It was her favorite." She looked back at the kimono she held and smiled wider. 'Kyosuke's going to love it too.'
Kenshin cleared his throat and stated, "I think we should give Kaoru-dono some privacy so that she may change, that we should." Kenshin stood up and walked towards the door. Yahiko and Sano seemed slightly rattled at the sudden change in topic, but followed him anyway. "Thank you, Kenshin." Kaoru's reply was barely over a whisper, but Kenshin heard her clearly. He smiled to her and closed the shoji. Now that she was all-alone, Kaoru looked back down at the kimono. "Now, you had better look good on me or else I'm putting you back in the box and locking the key." She laughed again, her mood happier. 'Well it's now or never Kaoru. Mou, I should have known today would be hectic.'
Kenshin and the others sat outside, somewhat lost in their thoughts. Kaoru was acting too suspicious for anyone's liking. Sano and Kenshin didn't fail to notice that she didn't explain the letter like Sano asked. She only explained the origin and the story behind those boxes. It was as if as soon as everyone woke up this morning, they changed to completely different people. Sanosuke woke up and walked to the dojo hours earlier than he usually does, Kenshin was being bold and finally showing interest in Kaoru, Kaoru was acting like a criminal with all of her cloak and dagger tactics. Even Yahiko was being quiet for once, a blessing from Kami-sama himself.
"So what are we gunna do about Kaoru-chan, Kenshin?" Sano asked. He was genuinely worried about her. This secretive behavior really didn't fit her. The whole situation was pissing him off. 'Man I need a drink...'
"I do not know Sanosuke. We can get all the answers out of her once we have the time. Right now we have to give her all the support we can. I know how you feel Sano, I don't really like all of these secrets either. But for now, we will smile and be understanding. Just be patient. She will explain in due time." The gentle and patient sound of his voice was in complete contrast to the stern look on his face. Unexpectedly, Yahiko exploded at Kenshin's comment.
"What the hell are you talking about? You say it as if she did something wrong! Just because she chooses to keep some things private, it doesn't mean that she is a different person! She is still the same Kaoru! You sound like you expect some kind of apology from her. Well that's a load of bullshit!"
Sano's eyes widened in shock. Yahiko looked like he was about to try to kick Kenshin's ass. Attempting to calm him down, Sano stood next to the irate boy and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, Yahiko, calm down buddy. Kenshin didn't mean it like that." But Yahiko wouldn't listen.
"You know, we're the ones that should really apologize." That caught the two adults off-guard. "Yeah, we should apologize to her. We never asked her about her family. Ever. We acted as if a young, hard-working woman, not married, living on her own on a large piece of property was as normal as the sun rising. Now she's in this painful situation, and we don't know what to do." Sano stood next to Yahiko, ruminating over what he just said. 'I can't believe it. The kid's right. Since when has he been so smart?'
Kenshin sat still with his arms folded and legs crossed. What he said was true. They never did ask about her past or about the demons she might have. 'And just like Yahiko-kun said, we're in this predicament and completely clueless as to how we're going to solve it.'
Yahiko's eyes glazed over at his next words. "I mean, did you see the way Kaoru looked when she was talking about her mom? I never thought I'd see her look so sad. All this time we weren't supporting her like a real family should. But she has. She always has for us." Now things made sense. Yahiko was all worked up because of Kaoru's reaction to bringing up her mom. 'It must have brought up some good and bad memories for him about his own mother. Poor kid.' Kenshin stood up and walked over to Yahiko.
"Don't worry Yahiko-kun. We'll be a real family soon enough. I'm sorry for my previous comment. I did not mean to sound so condescending." Kenshin smiled and patted young Yahiko on the head. He smiled back and looked at Sano, who couldn't help but return the smile. "I am going to go and check on Kaoru-dono. I am worried she still may be worked up from before." With that, Kenshin walked away from the two and into their home.
The light tapping on the shoji startled Kaoru just a little, but she quickly recovered. "Y-Yes, who is it?" Her voice wavered a little more than she expected it to. 'I guess I'm a little more nervous then I thought. Breathe Kaoru, breathe.'
"It is just me, Kaoru-dono. May I come in?" His light reply made Kaoru breathe a sigh of relief. "Yeah Kenshin you can come in. The shoji moved slowly and Kenshin walked in with his hands over his eyes. "Are you decent Kaoru-dono?" Kaoru laughed at silly display and said, "Of course I'm decent. Why would I let you in here if I weren't?" She laughed again and stood up. "Ah, that is very true Kaoru-dono." Kenshin smiled and removed his hands, but his facial expression turned to one that embodied pure shock.
Her face was flawless with her cheeks lightly tinged crimson from her blushing. Her hair was still flowing down her back, but it was the kimono that really caught him off-guard. The kimono was just a little bit off-shoulders so it exposed her long creamy neck and its delicate curve into her smooth shoulders. The obi was a light purple and had black vines twisting and winding all over it. Her unnatural completion was set into contrast with the dark hues of the kimono, and it only made her look even more amazing.
"Kami-sama you look…" Kenshin thought over all the words in his extended vocabulary but couldn't pin one that fit just how beautiful Kaoru was. Or how he felt right now.
Kaoru became a little worried when he didn't finish his sentence. Lifting up her arms she examined how she looked and turned back to Kenshin. When she did, Kenshin also noticed the big sleeves. There were more tree branches on them and little white birds sitting on them. 'She looks stunning in that. Why hasn't she put this one before?'
"Because she never had a reason to." came the reply to his own question.
The anxiety was clear on her face. 'Maybe he doesn't like it. Oh, but it's too late to change now.' She looked like she was on the verge of crying her eyes out when Kenshin's shaky voice cut into her thoughts.
"Great. No, Beautiful. You look beautiful. Marvelous really. Breathtaking.." Kenshin rubbed the back of his head and gave an embarrassed smile. Kaoru smiled brightly at his horrible recovery. She walked over to Kenshin with slow deliberate steps. She was less than an inch away from him when she raised her hands to his chest. Kaoru clung yearningly to Kenshin's gi and moved her eyes at an agonizingly slow pace from her hands to meet his shocked eyes. She tilted her head back a little more than necessary and looked provocatively up at Kenshin through her deep, puppy-dog eyes.
"Really?"
Her voice came out below a whisper but it boomed loudly in Kenshin's ears. Kaoru tried hard not to laugh at his nervous expression. He looked too cute when he was embarrassed. When she realized Kenshin's reaction to her outfit, Kaoru wanted to know just how far she could push him and just how much control over him she had. It was wrong, but it felt good to break that annoying mask of composure and poise he always wore.
Kenshin stuttered and stumbled over his next words. She was awfully close right now. Dangerously close. A small voice inside his head told him this was wrong but a much louder voice told him to shut the door, take off that seductive kimono and not come out for the next few hours. Once he finally realized that forming coherent speech was out of the question, Kenshin merely gulped hard and nodded his head vigorously. Kaoru laughed good-naturedly and finally released Kenshin from her grasp. Taking one last look at his awe-stricken face, Kaoru sat in front of the box that Yahiko brought in earlier. It was filled with makeup and brushes, a small mirror, and gloss for her lips in all different shades and colors.
Kenshin sat down and watched silently as Kaoru picked through what was left and finding makeup that wasn't completely dust. She found and applied a little blush to her cheeks and a light pink gloss to her lips. Double-checking her appearance in her mirror, Kaoru grabbed the smallest of the three boxes and tried to start a conversation with Kenshin. His staring was making her even more nervous.
"Umm, Kenshin? Do you think that you and Sano and Yahiko could come with me to the docks? I might need some help finding him there." Kaoru kept looking at Kenshin through the corner of her eye. She couldn't bring herself to look at him directly, her shyness kicking back in full gear.
"Uh, yeah sure. We could go if you like. To be honest, we're all a little worried about you." Kenshin's smile didn't hide the worry in his eyes or voice, but it did reassure Kaoru a bit.
"Thanks. I know I've been a real mess today, but there's really nothing to worry about. Kyosuke is a childhood friend of mine. I haven't heard from him in years, I didn't know he was still alive." Kaoru opened the smallest of the three boxes and took out a few black clips and two matching hair sticks. They were a simple black with a dragonhead at the ends of them. She used them expertly and in a matter of seconds, had her hair was in a simple bun.
Kenshin breathed a sigh of relief he didn't know he was even holding in. 'Just friends. You were worried over nothing.' Worried over what though, he wasn't sure.
"Well then, in that case, we have to get you there as soon as possible. I'm sure he missed you just as much, if not more than you've missed him. Come on, let's go get him from the docks." Kenshin smiled sincerely and offered his hand to Kaoru. Kaoru looked up from her mirror and smiled back. She felt her heart do a few more flip-flops in her chest when they're hands touched.
"Kenshin.." His name came out more like an airy breath instead of a sound. Her smile, her voice, her touch, it was all too much for him to bear.
He could only smile back as he grabbed her hand fully and pulling her close. Kenshin's hold on her was gentle but firm, and Kaoru in turn clung helplessly to his sturdy form in a boneless heap. Their lips were so close, so tantalizingly close, and the hot unsteady air that escaped their lips taunted the other's in a mind numbing tease.
'Just once more. Please just once more. Just one more time, let me feel your lips again Kenshin. Please.' Kaoru wished desperately that she could voice her plea, but found herself unable to do much of anything really. 'Mou Kenshin, what are you waiting for?' She pulled a little more urgently at his gi and he finally seemed to understand what she needed. He moved in slow, brushing his lips against her once, then twice. He moved so painfully slow, Kaoru felt herself go crazy.
"Hey Kaoru, Kenshin. We'd better get a move on if you still expect this guy at the docks. It's almost mid-day already." Sanosuke's voice boomed from outside. Once again rooster-head managed to ruin the moment.
"He's right Kaoru-dono, we'd better go." Kenshin pulled away from her slowly, his face unreadable. Kaoru followed him silently down the hallway, cursing the Gods for toying with her.
"Argh! I'm gunna kill Sano. Maybe I can convince Megumi-san to stitch his mouth closed with some of her medical thread. I'm sure she'd be more than happy to comply." Kaoru mumbled angrily to herself.
Kenshin couldn't help but chuckle at this. She obviously wasn't aware that she had actually voiced her opinion just now, but apparently her inner thoughts were no different than his at the moment. 'My sentiments exactly Kaoru.'
Kaoru's sandals scraped and clacked across the road as she ran as fast as she could down the road leading to the docks. Well, it wasn't really running, more like walking extremely fast as her kimono wouldn't allow for much else. Clutching her chest, she moved as fast as she could through the thick crowds, oblivious to the awestruck stares and the three men frantically trying to keep up with her.
Kenshin and Sano walked and weaved as fast as they could (Yahiko had to run to keep up with the two) through the thick crowds that only managed to get thicker and thicker as they neared the docks. People in the markets hustled and bustled about their businesses, selling fish and vegetables in their small makeshift markets, but the porcelain skinned beauty that rushed passed caught the eyes of many. Mostly men. There were greedy, longing, captivated stares sent her way, the lust in their eyes unmistakable. Boys Yahiko's age looked on in wonder while men older than time looked on recalling a time when they were young. Kenshin and Sano tried their hardest not to glare at the perverse glances they sent Kaoru's way, but couldn't help the anger that seeped into their eyes. That is until the docks came into view.
Kaoru rushed toward the boats. To her dismay, most of the passengers were gone and all that were left were a few men to empty all of the cargo from the ships. Screaming his name, she ducked weaved and squeezed her way through the burly men and the crates, trying desperately to find Kyosuke.
Yahiko, Sano and Kenshin merely watched as Kaoru frantically tried to find her long lost friend. Kenshin tried his best to fill the silence with meaningless talk, first about what he learned about Kyosuke from Kaoru and then about dinner, but to no avail. All eyes and attention were focused on Kaoru.
Eventually her legs started slowing down, her lungs started to tire, her throat became soar, but her eyes remained frantic. Not knowing when she stopped, Kaoru simply turned in circles looking around at the now almost empty dock. She looked at the men organizing the crates, at the supervisors going over their checklists, and almost cried.
'No Kyosuke.'
Kaoru faced her new family and could not help but feel worse. The tears that only teased her eyes were now threatening to attack her cheeks. 'This was my chance to see him, and I blew it. I blew it sky high.'
When she turned to face them, Kenshin immediately felt sorry. From the distressed look on her face, it was obvious what she was thinking. 'We've missed him. Hopefully he decides to contact her soon, maybe swing by the dojo within the next few days. I'll help look for him if need be, if only to make her happy. But right now she needs the comfort of her family. That's all we can help her with.'
Kenshin looked at both Yahiko and Sano before meeting Kaoru's eyes again. Smiling affectionately he began taking slow steps toward her. Kaoru smiled back sadly and nodded her head in understanding. There was nothing else she could do.
"Well now, and here I thought you had forgotten all about me Kao-chan. Had me waiting here for quite some time. But if I do remember correctly, you have never been the punctual type. I guess some things never change, do they?"
Wide-eyed, Kaoru slowly turned around to find Kyosuke standing behind her with his ever-present smirk in place. Looking at him from head-to-toe, Kaoru hardly believed what she was seeing; that this was her Kyosuke.
He had grown quite a bit, adding a few more inches and becoming more muscular than she remembered him being. Kyosuke was a tall, fair-skinned, handsome man. Instead of his usual high ponytail, Kyosuke held his long pitch-black hair at the base of his neck, letting a few wisps of hair fall on his face. At first glance, Kaoru didn't recognize him but when she met his eyes, eyes that she had spent years memorizing, she knew it was him.
His smirk quickly melted into a silly grin and Kyosuke laughed good-naturedly. Squealing with child-like delight, Kaoru broke into a smile and rushed into his waiting arms. Nearly toppling them both over, Kyosuke laughed harder than he ever remembered before. He hugged her tight, and spun her causing more giggles to escape her throat. Finally stopping long enough to let them both catch their breath, Kyosuke brushed back her hair from her still smiling face. He had forgotten how brightly her eyes glowed when she was happy and he missed that warmth.
"Well, well Kao-baby, and here I thought you would be just as sweaty and unkept as the day I left you. I'm shocked to see you all grown, womanly even!"
The mirth danced around with so much affection in Kyosuke's eyes and the emotions were mirrored perfectly in Kaoru's. The gleeful giggles bubbled from her throat as Kyosuke's good-natured jibes fell on deaf ears. "Same old Kyosuke…"
Kaoru smiled and opened her mouth to speak but Kyosuke gently interrupted with a well-placed finger on her already parted lips.
"I'd love to hear any witty or sarcastic response dearest, but it looks like we have an audience." Kyosuke kept eye contact but tilted his head in the direction toward the three people standing awkwardly over her shoulder some distance away. Kaoru blinked up at Kyosuke, first blankly then out of confusion, until it dawned on her.
"Oh. OH! Oh Kyosuke I can't believe how dim-witted I am.." She grabbed his hand and turned to run toward her forgotten company.
"I can." Again, the insult passed without anger or even acknowledgement from Kaoru. "Same ol' Kaoru."
They took a few quick steps to land themselves in front of Kenshin, Sano and Yahiko. The three stood there embarrassed, uncomfortable and expectant. Kenshin tried to smile politely, but the hand rubbing the back of his neck and the pathetic "heh heh" sound he kept making was a testament to his discomfort. Sano stood there quietly but he looked annoyed with his hands crossed and a suspicious glare rooted in his features. Yahiko looked uncharacteristically timid and well mannered.
"Sano, Yahiko, Kenshin, I would like to introduce you to one of my oldest and best friends: Kyosuke Hirabato. Kyosuke, this is my family."
Kenshin and Yahiko smiled welcomingly, and beamed at the word 'family.' Sano just narrowed his eyes further. "Friend, huh? Then why haven't we ever heard of him?" Sano darted his suspicious glare between Kaoru and her "best friend" Kyosuke.
"Probably 'cause you never asked." Kaoru bit back and glaring twice as viciously back at her overprotective brother. Sano couldn't hold her gaze much longer and merely rolled his eyes and huffed for emphasis. Kyosuke took this moment to politely clear his throat and put a comforting hand on Kaoru's shoulder.
"Well now, don't mind Kao-chan's rudeness, or her poor memory. Since you're her family I'm sure you are all too familiar with her….slowed..mental capacity." Kyosuke said jokingly patting her head in a condescending fashion. His voice was rich and eloquent, but light-hearted and jovial like Sanosuke's. Kenshin widened his eyes in surprise to Kyosuke's brashness and Yahiko laughed enthusiastically. Kaoru snapped her head towards him and stuck her tongue out, but laughed herself. Sano still didn't look convinced.
"I have to say that I question everyone's mental capacity at this point. I mean, no offense, but you've just dropped in on us out of nowhere and everyone's acting as if it's no big deal. Sorry but I just can't trust you a second after I've met you, even if Kaoru has vouched for you." His glare wasn't as intense as before but that only left room for the seriousness of his expression to set in. His position wasn't much of a surprise to Kenshin or Yahiko. Sanosuke was the type of man that you earned the respect from, it wasn't just handed out. Kaoru still looked miffed, but Kyosuke interjected before she could argue back.
"I can respect that." Kyosuke shrugged, "But don't expect me to be all formal with you. I may be well traveled but I like sake and gambling just as much as the next guy. There's no point in me pretending just for your 'good graces'." But Kyosuke hadn't realized he said the magic words: sake & gambling. Sano's eyes immediately became animated and he smiled from ear to ear.
"A gambling man huh? A man after my own heart. HAHA!" Sano coughed dramatically and pretended to slip back into serious-mode without much success. "Well, I'm glad to hear that. We'll have to 'schedule' a, uh, one-on-one session you and me. You know, male bonding and earning respect stuff. I know the perfect place." Sano explained as he slipped his arm over Kyosuke's shoulder and half-whispered the end of his statement in a mock attempt at hiding his intentions from Kaoru. He fell back into a giddy child as his trademark smirk and mischievous glint appeared on his face.
"Ha! Yeah Sano-san, glad we could find common ground so quickly." Kyosuke replied kindly, cutting off any reprimand Kaoru was about to dole out.
"Please, just call me Sano. We're all family here right?"
"Oh jeeze Sano, even I think that's pathetic. Way to hold your ground baka." The youngest of the group could only cross his arms and shake his head in disappointment. Was it really possible that the almost twenty year old could be that fickle?
Kyosuke looked at Yahiko fully now and held an unreadable gaze and smile on his flawless face. "So young and yet so filled with wisdom, this one. I can tell you're the brains of this motley bunch." Kyosuke said with a warm smile that conveyed a sincere request for friendship. But unlike the crass "Damn straight!" that the remaining three would have expected from the boy, Yahiko instead clamed up and nodded his head in an almost shy manner. His big doe eyes that he was always sure to keep clear of any emotion, were filled with nervousness and embarrassment. Kyosuke saw this and tried a different approach.
"I noticed the shinai you have too. No doubt you are a genius with the sword as well, am I right?" With hesitance Yahiko replied,
"No. I-I'm still learning. But I will be! One day…like my father.." His speech was so choppy with uncertainty that it was hard to understand all of what he'd said and knowing this made him slip into his shyness even more. Kyosuke pressed.
"I'm a swordsman too you know. I've even studied many foreign techniques as well. Maybe I can teach you sometime." Yahiko's eyes immediately lit up at the possibility of learning more and the barrier that held in his explosive personality finally burst open.
"Really? That would be so amazing. I'll admit to you that I'm not a master yet but I'm a quick learner, I promise! Tell him Kaoru!" He looked over Kaoru expectantly, complete sincerity shining in his eyes. The surrogate sister/mother couldn't help but laugh good-naturedly and nod in agreement, which sent the young swordsman into a flurry of hysterics composed mostly of non-stop talking to himself. Kyosuke listened and laughed at his excitement, and rubbed the top of his head in a familiar and loving way. Yahiko grimaced for a second at the annoyingly babying gesture but said nothing, much to his credit. Kyosuke spoke.
"Maa, maa, we'll talk more about it latter. I haven't finished meeting everyone yet."
Kyosuke turned to Kenshin Himura, and despite their significant height difference, looked Kenshin straight in the eyes in a calculating, even cold, manner with a polite smile still in place. Kaoru introduced them but her words were not exactly paid attention to. Kenshin looked steadily into the other man's eyes and a small pang of fear jolted his heart for less than a fraction of a second, as though this man whom he'd never met, knew who he was. His fears were confirmed when, as soon as Kaoru said his name, something flashed though the young man's eyes and immediately reverted to a forced calmness.
"It is an honor to meet you" was all that Kyosuke could muster up the courage to say in a pinched manner. He bowed in, what Kenshin felt was, an unnecessary manner, too respectful but not pretentiously so. When he looked up from his bow, Kenshin saw the smirk on his face and the humor in his eyes. There was something much too complicated in his look and Kenshin chose to ignore his behavior for now; doubting his sincerity would definitely make Kaoru mad. Instead Kenshin smiled back with politeness and said,
"The honor is ours, that it is. We have not met many of Kaoru-dono's friends and it is nice to have the opportunity, uh…" he finished uncertain. Kyosuke gave a quick laugh. "Ah, Kyosuke is fine."
"Ah, forgive sessha Hirabato-san—"
"—Kyosuke. Please."
"…Kyosuke-san then. Well," Kenshin said changing the subject "you must be hungry, that you must. Let's head back home and get you something to eat."
Welp! I decided to cut the chapter here since it's getting too long. I'm already working on more stuff for the next chapter, and that will finish up the day. Tell me what you think? Harsh criticism is welcome. I guess. :P
Tootles!